Kristena Shaw

What inspired your most recent tattoo?

What once was an infinity symbol for family became a cover-up when heartbreak and silence bloomed between my sister and me. I chose roses; symbols of love, resilience, and rebirth. After deep reflection and healing, our bond grew back stronger than ever. She’s now my Ride or Die, my fiercest protector. This tattoo isn’t just ink, it’s a garden grown from pain, proof that even broken things can bloom again.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

If my tattoos could speak, they’d tell stories of love, loss, and resilience. They’d whisper my mom’s final “I love you” and echo “Your battle is my battle,” from when I cared for her through cancer. They’d bloom with my family’s birth flowers, and cherry blossoms for my dad his favorite, now a symbol of beauty after grief. every wound I turned into art. Grief. Strength. Survival. My skin tells it all.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I win, I’m restoring my dad’s truck. He’s gone, but that old ride holds pieces of him. I’ve been the rock for everyone — single mom, caregiver, fixer of all things broken. With my coffee shop closing, life’s hit hard. I’d save some, breathe a little, and finally take the girls on vacation